Cruciatus
by TheDarkAngelLilith79915
Summary: Harry walks in on Umbridge torturing Ginny with the cruciatus curse. Rescuing her and seeing her fight back is all he needs to make him realize he has had feelings for her since the Chamber of secrets.


Cruciatus

By TheDarkAngelLilith

Rated T

Harry walks in on Umbridge torturing Ginny with the cruciatus curse. Rescuing her and seeing her fight back is all he needs to make him realize he has had feelings for her since the Chamber of secrets.

* * *

"At least it's only lines, it's not as if it's a dreadful punishment really,"

Hermione's words drifted around his over exhausted brain as he climbed the labyrinth of stairs dreading his destination. She had no clue really she didn't and he found the statement almost ludicrous. But then again he didn't tell her she couldn't possibly have known. He supposed that even though she didn't know about that awful bewitched quill the statement held some meaning, there were worse things.

Harry trudged on stair after stair mulling every aspect of his life over with feelings of malice. Before he knew it he'd reached, ruefully, the office of Dolores Umbridge the horrid new defense against the dark arts professor. He found himself longing for any of the old teachers even Lockhart would be better or the imposter Moody. With his sense of self-preservation telling him to turn around and report his abuse Harry reluctantly knocked on the door.

He waited for her aggravatingly sweet voice telling him to come in but it didn't come. Silence, for over a minute there was no response. Harry stood there perplexed. He was sure he'd knocked loud enough to be heard and he was positive Umbridge would not be late for her chance to torture him again. He knocked again a little harder this time… Still nothing.

Harry debated just walking away and returning to the Gryffindor common room. His mountain of homework would hurt a lot less than that ghastly quill. But then he thought of the repercussions if he didn't show up for his detention. What would Umbridge pull out next? He briefly imagined himself polishing Umbridge's kitten plates with a hexed brush that gnawed the skin off your arms as you scrubbed. He shuddered then knocked once more when no one answered yet again he grasped the cold handle. Breathing deeply he twisted it and opened the door just a centimeter.

Whatever Harry had been expecting it was not the jarring sound that met him. It nearly made him slam the door shut again or clamp his hands over his ears. A shrill blood curtailing scream sounded relentlessly from the room. He wondered how on earth he hadn't heard it through the door but it explained why his knocks hadn't been heard. The door must have been sound proofed by a spell of some sort.

He was certain the screams weren't caused by the quill. It couldn't have possibly caused so much pain as to make someone scream like this. No, this girl was screaming like she was being murdered. Harry was very tempted to run for it before Umbridge could notice him and turn whatever this was on him. No he couldn't, he had to help the girl he couldn't just leave hearing her scream like that. What if it was someone he knew? What if it were Hermione?

Harry pushed the door another centimeter and changed his position as to see inside. He still couldn't see properly but if he opened the door too much Umbridge would surely notice.

"Ruducio," he heard umbridge's cynically girly voice from beyond the door.

The girl's agonized screams ceased and were replaced by gasps and distressed whimpers.

"Tut, tut, it's been a half hour, surely you are ready to apologize. I assure you if you think I will relent you are sadly mistaken. Now Ginevra what do you have to say to me?"

Harry froze from shock, fear or anger he wasn't sure which. Ginevra was Ginny's real name, Ron's little sister. Umbridge was torturing Ginny with the cruciatus curse. A half hour, she'd been under the curse for a half hour. Harry thought back to what happened to Neville's parents and started to shake with rage. He pictured Ginny riving on the floor with Umbridge smiling at the sight of her screaming in agony.

Before he could fully comprehend his actions Harry dropped his school bag and pulled out his wand. He pushed the door open aggressively taking in the sight before him. Ginny lied on the floor in the fetal positon and Umbridge stood over her with her wand prepared to cast the curse again.

"Cruci-"

"exspeliarmus!" Harry yelled savouring the shocked look on Umbridge's face.

Umbridge's wand came flying towards him and he scrambled to grab it. He slipped it into his front jean pocket then pointed his own wand at the toad like woman's face.

"Don't move!" he shouted "you're despicable you know that. I'll have you locked up in Azkaban for this. The cruciatus curse is illegal especially when used to torture defenceless students. Even Fudge won't be able to pull you out of this."

"You think so do you? Because I can assure you that I am well with in boundaries to punish students as I see fit." Umbridge replied, surprisingly calm for being caught in a crime.

"This isn't punishment it's torture!" Harry argued furiously.

"Sometimes a little pain is necessary to correct negative behavior. As you can see 's foul mouth has been properly shut." Umbridge said with a triumphant grin. She was enjoying this, of course she was.

Harry felt a surge of violence rush over him suddenly. He was so tempted to use the cruciatus curse on Umbridge. He knew that wouldn't do any good. He needed to get Ginny out of there and find Professor McGonagall or Dumbledore. Surely they would see this as a heinous crime and have Umbridge taken away.

"Don't come any closer or I'll put a body binding curse on you." Harry warned as he knelt beside Ginny wand still raised.

Ginny was curled up in a tight ball as if protecting herself from a rabid animal. She was shaking terribly and her breath came in gasps and whimpers. He felt his heart ache for her. Of course he did she was Ron's little sister and he felt somewhat bound to protect her after what happened in the chamber of secrets. Harry touched her shoulder gently and she shuddered shrinking away from his touch like an abused dog.

"Ginny it's okay it's me, Harry. You're safe now she won't hurt you anymore." He whispered calmingly.

She peered up at him with watery exhausted eyes. He wasn't sure but he thought he saw her shift her body closer to him. Looking at her quivering form he wasn't sure she would be able to walk. Just as he started to contemplate weather he'd be able to carry her something blunt hit him in the jaw and he was knocked on to his back.

Harry shook off the stunned stars swimming in his vison and shakily returned to a kneeling position. Through a cracked lens in his glasses he saw what had happened. Umbridge had resorted to kicking him in the jaw and now she had his wand. He began to rise to his feet.

"Ah, not so fast," Umbridge grinned wickedly "Ignorant children, always think you're one step ahead. Now what should I do? torture the two of you or continue with Ginevra and make you watch. You certainly seem to care much about her."

Hearing this caused Harry to throw himself over Ginny without thinking. He lied over her blocking her from Umbridge. Apparently this was amusing to the old hag because he heard her laughing.

"Oh young love, it's a dreadful ailment isn't it, Makes you do absolutely insane things." Umbridge sighed.

It was almost automatic for Harry to protest against this statement but he thought better of it. What good would it do? He didn't love Ginny not in that way. But he couldn't quite identify the feelings he was having for her at the moment.

It all happened so fast and he felt like an idiot for not thinking of it himself. He felt Ginny pull Umbridge's wand from his pocket. He knew Umbridge wouldn't be able to see what Ginny was doing over the way he was positioned.

"I'll let you choose Potter," Umbridge offered as if she were doing him a great favour.

He heard the door swing shut again and he felt Ginny's shaking hand press against his chest signalling that she was ready. He doubted briefly that Ginny would be able to use magic efficiently in her current state but he gave her a leap of faith. Harry rolled off of her keeping himself low to the floor.

Ginny pulled together the last of her strength lifted herself on to her elbow and with a flash of light "Expelliarmus!"

Umbridge, even more shocked than she had been when Harry first barged in, stumbled backwards as Harry's wand flew from her hand.

Harry scrabbled forward ceasing his wand and jumping to his feet "Petrificus Totalus!"

Umbridge became completely stiff and in an almost comical fashion fell to the floor like a wooden plank.

Ginny let herself collapse again feeling a wave of faintness wash over her. Harry pocketed his own wand and turned to Ginny. He dropped to his knees beside her again. She was still shaking and her breathing as laboured. He wasn't sure what possessed him to do so but he found himself running his hand through her hair.

"That was amazing Ginny," Harry smiled down at her.

She seemed to calm slightly under his touch but he wasn't sure of this. Ginny let Umbridge's wand fall and Harry saw a bleeding cut on the back of her hand. The words "You must not abuse your students" were carved into her pale skin. Harry smiled at this. After she realized what the quill did Ginny must have turned it around Umbridge writing this message instead the one she was given. This must have sent Umbridge over the edge, made her angry enough to resort to the cruciatus curse. He never knew that Ginny could be so brave. He'd seen a more humorous and mischievous side to her that past summer but he never imagined that would transpire to incredible stamina and courage like this.

He wanted to get to know her better but first he needed to take her to the hospital wing. Ginny looked like she was on the verge of passing out from exhaustion and she was still tremoring violently.

Harry awkwardly curled his arms under her neck and knees and lifted her with minimal difficulty. Ginny hadn't grown all that much since he'd saved her from the chamber of secrets and he now had roughly a foot of height on her. He left Umbridge yelling through locked jaws and carried Ginny away. Away from danger away from that vile woman.

As he reached the bottom of the first flight of stairs Ginny began to twist in his arms.

"No, put me down, put me down" she protested trying to wriggle free.

If she continued this he'd drop her and he knew she wouldn't be able to right herself. Harry placed her down on a stone bench to the side of the corridor and kneeled in front of her.

"Ginny, Ginny," Harry took her hands to get her attention "You can't walk right now."

He could tell she wasn't completely coherent and she wasn't thinking straight. He wasn't sure why she was objecting to him carrying her. He supposed it was the head strong stubborn attitude Ron said she usually had. She tried an uncoordinated and shaky attempt to stand but collapsed back on to the bench. Harry just barley stopped her from falling face first on to the floor.

He took her face in his hands this time forcing her to look at him "Ginny, You're too weak to walk. You've been through a major trauma okay, the cruciatus curse when used continually like that can make someone go mad. Come on you need to see madam Pomfrey."

"We- we need to stop her. Sh-she'll hurt other people." Ginny stuttered.

"Umbridge is in a body binding curse she's not going anywhere. I'm going to take you to the hospital wing and then I'm going to find professor McGonagall. She's not going to hurt anyone else." Harry reassured her as he lifted her again. It was harder this time as she was in a sitting position and wasn't cooperating.

"No, let me go. Put me down." Her voice was very weak and she slurred her words slightly. She didn't have the strength to fight him this time.

"Just relax Ginny," he whispered as he walked.

It was an odd and very untimely thought but Harry couldn't deny that having Ginny curled up in his arms inspired a warm feeling to wash over him. He thought back to the blind fury he felt at seeing Umbridge causing Ginny pain. The sorrow and pain it caused him to see her hurt and in distress. Would he feel this way about anyone in that situation? What if it had been a girl he hadn't met before would he have still felt all these things? Was it just the fact that Ginny was Ron's little sister? That must have been it. He had a crush on Cho he had for ages now and he was finally getting somewhere with her. Where were these emotions for Ginny coming from? He couldn't deny that they were stronger than what he felt for Cho and suddenly the thought of Cho no longer brought hot flustered feelings to him. Maybe, Just maybe deep down he'd felt this way since he rescued Ginny in his second year. Maybe it just took seeing her true colors to make him realize it.

It turned out that Ginny wasn't the shy clumsy girl she'd seemed to be. Underneath she was smart, funny and had a taste for mischief just like her twin brothers. She had an attitude as fiery was her hair. She was brave and courageous and she wasn't afraid to stand up for herself. She had something in common with him that no other student did, she had been victimised by Voldemort. Then a thought that shocked him slightly flitted past his mind, she was pretty, really pretty.

Two things brought him back from his reverie, one they were almost to the hospital wing. Two, Ron would brutally murder him if ever found out he was thinking about his sister in that way.

Madam Pomfrey, as expected, had a conniption when they arrived. She set into a frenzy upon hearing what had happened to Ginny abandoning a first year that had been stained a curious shade of neon blue.

As Harry set Ginny down on a cot he realized she had fallen asleep. When he tried to pull away she unconsciously grasped his collar in protest. He felt an involuntary smile creep over his features.

"I thought you wanted me to put you down" he laughed softly.

Madam Pomfrey came rushing over and practically pushed him away from Ginny's unconscious form.

That evening was one of the rare times Harry saw Dumbledore truly furious. He almost looked murderous as Harry explained Ginny's torturing at Umbridge's hands. Harry found himself almost getting teary when retelling the story. He was told to not tell anyone else about the incident and to go straight to Gryffindor tower. He ignored the orders and went to tell Ron what had happened. After convincing Ron not to find and maim Umbridge the pair went to visit Ginny. She was doing much better to their relief.

Harry spent that night feeling very conflicted about his feelings for Ginny. Normally he would've talked to Ron about it but in this particular case that was not an option. Harry had no clue how interesting his life was about to become.

Two days later Ginny was released from hospital the same day that Umbridge was sentenced to life in Azkaban. Upon hearing the wonderful news Ginny threw her arms around Harry's neck and kissed him. Harry was so shocked that he nearly pushed her away but the feeling was unlike any other and he never wanted it to stop. He heard Hermione telling Ron to calm down. He briefly became worried about how this would affect his friendship with Ron but Ron was the east of his problems. He felt someone wrench him away from Ginny and before he could identify who it was he was punched so hard his vison swirled. His jaw was already sore from where Umbridge had kicked him now it was throbbing. Harry caught himself on the table and looked up to see Ginny jump up landing a brutal blow in Michael Corner's face. Michael abruptly called Ginny a nasty name witch made both Ron and Harry stand at attention. Teachers were quickly swooping in to break up the fight hauling Michael away. As Ginny held ice to Harry's bruised jaw bone he saw Cho run out of the great hall crying. He felt a little guilty for causing all this mayhem but the way Ginny snuggled up to his side made it all worth it.

Life at Hogwarts was about to get especially interesting…


End file.
